


The Camping Trip

by IveGotRedHair



Category: All Time Low
Genre: Coughing, Established Relationship, Fever, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 13:42:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4021996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IveGotRedHair/pseuds/IveGotRedHair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A camping trip, a storm and a weak immune system is not the greatest mix.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Storms Coming

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!  
> This one is a little plot heavy but there's plenty of sicky Alex to come. I'm uploading this is a couple of parts as it's quite long.  
> I hope you enjoy :) xx

Sometime in late Summer Rian had the idea to go camping, sleeping under the stars with his friends seemed like a great way to spend the last few days before senior year. So roping in Zack, Jack and Alex a camping trip was planned. Jack who had been camping a lot with his family over the years took them out to a wood in the middle of nowhere. It was quiet and they were free to do whatever without being disturbed.  
The sun had begun to go down by the time they had a fire going, the warmth was beginning to fade and you could almost smell the rain in the air. Well you could if Jack wasn’t burning the beans.   
“You’re such a useless cook Barakat,” Alex said, elbowing him out of the way and taking over the cooking.   
“At least I can put up a tent,” Jack argued.  
Alex stuck his tongue out at him; it was true Alex had spent nearly half an hour trying to put their tent up before Jack had to step in to help.   
“How’s the food? The hike it took to get here made me so hungry,” Rian said.   
“Better now Jack’s not doing it,” Alex replied.   
“If you think that’s a hike you wait till tomorrow, we’re going to the river,” Jack said.   
“There’s a river?” Rian asked.   
“Yep, a few miles walk in that direction,” Jack said, waving his hand toward a deep part of the wood.   
“Great,” Rian muttered.   
“Don’t worry Ri, if you get tired Zack can always carry you,”   
Alex barely missed being hit with the stick aimed at his head.   
When the food was ready they all ate their unburned beans as they watched the sun go down and talked about their last few years at school. From the cops turning up at Alex’s house after a party got a little out of hand, the time Jack got arrested for jay walking and Alex had to bail him out, to the time Rian entered the school talent show as a magician and Zack spent 4 hours in ER after a skate board accident and another hour after that trying to chat up the hot nurse.   
Too soon the air grew cold and clouds began to cover the sky. It was a little after 1am when Jack and Alex were in their tent, both lying side by side in their sleeping bags.   
“How are you enjoining camping ‘Lex?” Jack asked.   
“Not how I remember.”   
“No?”  
“It’s better,” Alex said, shuffling in his sleeping bag so his head was on Jack’s shoulder. Jack smiled and rested his head against Alex’s, his parents had always taken him camping in the summer holidays and he glad to share the magic with his boyfriend. 

By the morning the blue sky of the day before had been covered with large dark clouds that made the air feel cool despite the time of year.   
“Still up for a hike today?” Jack asked.   
“Sure, why not?” Zack said.   
“It better not rain,” Alex mumbled.   
“Aw a little rain won’t hurt,” Jack teased, putting his arm around Alex’s shoulders and ruffling the boy’s hair.   
“Get off.”  
Alex tried to push Jack away but Jack just kissed his cheek.   
“You two are so cute I’m going to be sick,” Rian said, fake gagging.  
Alex just laughed and flipped him off.  
“Right breakfast, does anyone know how to heat up pop tarts on a camp fire?” Jack asked.   
After everyone had a good laugh at Jack’s stupidity and they ate a breakfast of cold pop tarts the bags were packed the hiking trip began, Jack and Alex up front leading the way with Zack and Rian following behind complaining about the bad singing from the other two.   
“Oh come on, get in the camping sprit,” Jack called.   
“That’s not camping sprit, that’s a terrible version of Mr Brightside!” Rian called back.   
“Aw come on Ri, you love it really,” Alex replied.   
“At least sing a good song,” he said.   
With a little bit of convincing all four of them were soon singing Blink 182 All The Small Things and the sound of na na na na na na na na na na na filled the forest. They walked for hours not that they really noticed, time seemed to slip past as they joked and laughed. Jack was always running of ahead, climbing trees and jumping out to try and surprise them. Alex never fell of it of course; he could spot his skunk haired boyfriend from a mile away.   
“Jack, come on! I’m hungry!” Zack called.   
“Why did we put him in charge?” Rian asked, scanning the trees looking for the boy.   
“ARGHHH”   
Jack jumped out of a tree in front of the group but ended up misjudged the landing and falling on his ass.   
“That’ll teach you for trying to scare us,” Alex laughed.   
“Oh you think that’s funny?”   
Jack grabbed Alex’s wrist and pulled him down so he was on top of Jack in the mud.   
“Hey!”   
Jack smiled and pushed Alex’s sweaty hair away from his face and kissed him. The rain may have been cold and the mud even more so but Jack loved the feeling of Alex’s lips on his that for that moment he forgot all about being in the middle of a storm.   
“Okay enough cuteness for now, we’re fucking starving here,” Rian huffed.   
“Alright, alright we’re coming,” Jack replied.   
Getting up was a bit of struggle on the slippery ground and they were both covered in mud by the time they were moving again.   
“Come on, I know a great place we can stop and eat,” Jack said, wiping his muddy hands on his even muddier jeans.   
It was another hour’s walk before they stopped but at least Jack wasn’t lying about a great place to stop. There was a small cave by the side of the river that they were able to sit under and enjoy their non muddy sandwiches.   
“Honestly Jack, this place is rather pretty,” Zack said, staring out of the mouth of the cave and over to the river. It was wide but shallow and everything around was green and flowers covered the banks.   
“I told you it’d be worth the walk,” he said.   
“Want to go for a paddle?” Rian asked.   
“Go in the river?” Alex asked.   
“Well why not? It’s hot,” Rian said.   
Alex just shrugged and followed the rest of the boys back into the river. Jack was first to dive in, well it wasn’t quite deep enough to dive the water only came to his calves.   
“It’s fucking freezing!” Alex exclaimed as he stood shivering in the water.   
“That’s only ‘cause you’re standing still, let’s have some fun.”   
Fun of course meant a water fight which ended up with Jack on his knees, Alex on his shoulders, Zack splashing all of them and Rian falling over a ridicules amount of times. By the time the water war had ended and Zack and claimed victory they were all lying on the muddy grass by the side of the river.   
“Okay that was pretty fun”, Alex said.   
“I told y’,” Jack teased, kissing the side of Alex’s head.  
“We should probably get going before it rains,” Zack said, looking up at the dark clouds still looming over their heads.   
“Yeah, it was fun and all but I would love some dry socks,” Rian said.   
Everyone laughed and got up, beginning the slow walk back in the direction of their camp site. Zack was right and it wasn’t long before it had started raining, Alex didn’t find the walk back as enjoyable and was soon lagging behind.   
“You okay ‘Lex?” Jack asked.   
“I’m cold,” he whined, wrapping his arms around himself as he shivered.   
“We’re nearly back now, you can put some dry clothes on and get in your sleeping bag,” Jack said, wrapping his arm around Alex’s waist and holding the boy close to his side.   
Alex didn’t reply, just rested his head on Jack’s shoulder as they continued to walk.   
By the time they got back Alex was pretty much full on shaking, Jack told him to get some dry clothes on and he’d see about making the boy a hot drink. Luckily the rain had stopped again and Jack was just about able to get the stove going to heat up the water to make four mugs of hot chocolate, he’d brought it especially for Alex. He knew how much he loved it. After giving two to Zack and Rian he went back to his own tent and to where Alex was curled up in his sleeping bag, still shivering.   
“Here this’ll help.”   
Jack passed Alex the drink, he couldn’t help but find the boy adorable in his oversized hoodie with his damp, messy hair.   
“Thanks.”   
“I’m sorry for dragging out in rain, I hope you weren’t too miserable.” Jack said.   
“No, no it was fun, just wish I weren’t so cold now.”   
Jack smiled and shuffled closer to Alex, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.   
“I’m going to make some food okay? Do you want to stay here?” Jack asked.   
“Kinda sleepy,” Alex replied.   
“You have a nap and I promise not to burn the food.”   
Alex laughed, Jack had never not burnt food before but he was too tired to care. Curling up under his sleeping bag with his hot chocolate by his side Alex closed his eyes. 

Jack was happily sat outside with a pan on the fire as he tried not to fuck up cooking sausages. Rian and Zack were sitting beside him why Alex was still asleep in their tent.   
“How’s the food? I’m starving,” Zack asked.   
“You’re always starving,” Rian laughed.   
“Not burnt,” Jack replied.   
“I don’t believe you.”   
Jack turned around to see Alex slowly walking over to him.  
“You alright Alex?”   
The boy shook his head and rested against Jack’s side.   
“What’s wrong?”   
“I have a headache.”   
“Aw baby, I have some pain killers in my bag. Would you like one?”   
Alex nodded.   
“I’ll be right back,” Jack said, kissing Alex’s temple.   
Jack returned with a pill and a bottle of water, Alex was sat in front of the fire as he tried to warm up his hands.   
“Here you go ‘Lex, that should help.”  
“Thanks.   
Jack sat back down just to have Alex rest against him again, he closed his eyes and almost seemed to fall asleep.   
“Do you want to go back to the tent?” Jack asked.   
“Good here” Alex mumbled, curling up a little closer.   
Jack just wrapped his around safely around Alex’s waist and continued to do the cooking one handed.   
Alex ended up sleeping with his head on Jack’s lap as the rest of them ate. Jack didn’t want to wake him to eat so he saved him some food for later. The three of them happily chatted about the events of the day and if Zack really won the water fight, he insisted he did but Rian refused to be convinced. Alex finally woke up as the sun was going down; he ate a little but said he wasn’t really hungry. Jack was starting to get a bit concerned but didn’t want to say anything. He just hoped with a good night’s sleep that Alex would be alright in the morning. Unfortunately the weather decided to make things difficult... Again. The rain they’d seen the day before was nothing compeered to what went on all night, rain pounded against the side of the tents and rattled the poles. It was noisy, damp and uncomfortable. Jack could sleep through a fucking hurricane but Alex couldn’t. He stayed awake listening to the rain fall against the side of the tent and as his pain killers wore off his headache returned, not helped by the ongoing noise. Alex only fell asleep when the rain let up around 5am.  
Jack woke up to sun leaking through the tent about two hours later. Turning over he found Alex curled up tightly beside him, snoring softly. Smiling Jack pressed a kiss to the boy’s forehead, he hadn’t meant to disturb him but Alex’s brow scrunched and his eyes blinked open.   
“Morning ‘Lex.”   
Alex just groaned in reply.   
“You okay?” Jack asked.   
“Tired, didn’t sleep.” he mumbled.   
“Aw baby,” Jack kissed his forehead again. “Do you want to stay here? I’ll fix us some breakfast.”   
Alex nodded and closed his eyes again.   
Jack slipped out of the tent as quietly as he could. Zack and Rian were already up and were looking rather tired as they drunk slightly crappy coffee.   
“Did no one sleep last night?” Jack asked, pouring himself a cup.   
“Dude, didn’t you hear the fucking storm?” Rian asked.   
“Nope, Alex obviously he did, he’s exhausted.”   
“So, what should we do today?” Zack asked.   
“Fancy another walk? I promise not as long this time,” Jack offered.   
“Yeah okay, might wake us up a bit,” Rian agreed.   
Zack made them a breakfast of porridge which Jack took back to his tent for Alex.   
“Feeling a bit more alive now?” Jack asked.   
“A bit,” Alex replied before yawning.   
“Feeling up to another exploration mission?”   
Alex groaned.   
“Don’t worry it won’t be as far,”   
“Good or I might have to make you carry me.”   
Jack laughed but saw the tired look in Alex’s eyes.   
Soon the bags were packed and they were off. They weren’t joking quite as much as the day before as everyone accept Jack was still feeling the effects of a sleepless night, Alex especially. He was already lagging behind and despite the warm weather Alex was wearing Jack’s hoodie with the sleeves pulled over his hands.   
“You okay Alex?” Jack asked.   
“I’m fine, just tired.”   
“Are you okay to carry on?” he asked.   
Alex nodded and reached out for Jack’s hand, using the boy to help pull him along. If Alex was honest he wasn’t just tired, his head was throbbing, he was sniffly and just felt kind of run down. He was hoping he’d get away with being in the rain but it seemed he couldn’t, his damn immune system that couldn’t handle anything.   
They walked for a bit longer before Alex couldn’t take it anymore, he felt like collapsing on the floor and sleeping forever.   
“Jack,” he whined, tugging on the boy’s sleeve. “Can we go back now?”   
“What’s wrong?”   
“Tired, head hurts.”   
Jack frowned but nodded.   
“Guys, I’m going to take Alex back. Are you alright finding your back on your own?” Jack asked.   
“Yeah we’re fine, sleep well Alex,” Zack called.   
Jack waved bye before wrapping his arm around Alex’s waist and leading him back in the direction of camp. As they walked Jack noticed Alex’s quiet sniffling and his red rimmed eyes, it seemed he was coming down with something. Jack got Alex back and tucked into his sleeping bag, a bottle of water beside him along with a couple of pain killers. Alex was asleep almost as soon as he lay down, snoring away as Jack played with his hair. 

By the time Alex woke up he was alone, Jack was no longer beside him. He sat up and groaned, his nose was all stuffed, his chest felt tight and his head was dizzy. Why did he always have to get sick at the worse times? After putting Jack’s hoodie back over his goose bump covered arms; Alex stepped out of the tent and found everyone sat around the fire cooking. Alex walked over to Jack and cuddled up to him, putting his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder.  
“Don’t feel good.”   
“What’s the wrong?” Jack asked.   
“All stuffed up, chest hurts, dizzy,” Alex listed off.   
Jack frowned and put a hand to Alex’s forehead to check his temperature.   
“You’re not warm.”   
Alex just turned away from Jack and coughed into his arm.   
“Aw baby.”   
Jack rubbed his back and passed him the tea he’d been drinking.   
“Do you want to go back to bed?” Jack asked.   
Alex shook his head.   
“Good with you,” he mumbled, resting his head on Jack’s shoulder again. Jack wrapped his arm around Alex’s waist. He hated it when Alex got sick but was never much he could do about it other than look after him.   
“Alex, do you want some dinner?” Jack asked, shaking his shoulder.   
“Nah I’m good.”   
“Sure?”   
Alex nodded.   
“You really should eat something Alex,” Rian asked.   
“Not hungry.”   
“At least have something to drink.”   
Rian made up Alex another cup of tea for him to sip at.   
“Thanks Ri.”   
It wasn’t the first time Rian had been around a sick Alex, he was quite often in school feeling under the weather and Rian had kind of learnt how to help him.   
“Shit, I think it’s going to rain again,” Zack said, staring up at the big black clouds hovering of their heads.   
“Let’s get everything under cover and hide,” Jack said.   
They all ended up huddled in Jack and Alex’s tent as it was the slightly bigger of the two. Zack was right and the rain started, hammering against the side of the tent and putting a chill in the air. Even in the larger space it was cramped, especially with Alex lying with his head in Jack’s lap, but none of them at the heart to move him. He couldn’t sleep of course, the rain making that impossible so Alex just coughed and sniffled while the others talked.   
“Does anyone have any good ghost stories?” Rian asked.   
“Didn’t know you believe in ghosts Rian,” Jack said.   
“I don’t, but I’m bored,” he answered.   
“I know one about a haunted music shop,” Zack said.   
“Ohh do tell,” Jack encouraged.   
“Well it all started in...”   
“Wait” Rian called, pulling his torch out of his pocket and throwing it at Zack. “Okay now carry on.”   
Zack chuckled and held the torch under his face; it was like they were telling spooky stories in 5th grade all over again.   
“As I was saying it all started in a music shop in Ohio, expect it wasn’t always a music shop. Back in the 1800s, it was a Church and in this so called Church some bad things went down. But worst of all was a sacrifice of a young girl; they beheaded her and threw her head down a hole. A hole that came to be known as the portal to Hell, it was thought they did the sacrifice wrong and raised a Demon by mistake. Eventually the Church became the music shop but the Demon had never left, resulting in some bad stuff happening; everything from people getting scratched, pushed, made to feel sick and one guy even getting possessed.”  
Jack was smiling, he always liked a good scary story and Zack always knew the best ones. Rian still looked unconvinced and Alex was too busy trying to make the pounding in his head go away to be listening.   
“Come on Zack; is this actually going to get scary?” Rian teased.   
“Just getting to the best part,” he replied. “So when this man was possessed he started screaming all these things that no one could understand, he was going mad and getting violent. He started advancing on the guy that was there to help him, yelling that the body was his, that he’d never die and as he got the Demon got his hands around the man’s throat he screamed...”  
Everyone jumped back yelling at a horrible sound, only to realise it was Alex coughing his lungs out.   
“Shit Alex!” Jack exclaimed, rubbing his boyfriend’s back until he was able to breathe again.   
“You scared the shit out of us.”   
“Sorry.”   
“It’s okay, how are you doing?” Jack asked, wrapping his arm around Alex’s shoulders as the boy leant into him.   
“Crappy,” Alex sniffed in reply.   
“Do you think you can sleep?”   
“Can’t, rain keeping me awake,” he mumbled.   
“I’m sorry, baby,” Jack said, kissing the side of Alex’s head.   
“What were you guys talking about anyway?” he asked.   
“Zack was telling a scary story,” Rian said.   
“Oh, how did it end?” Alex asked.   
“Yeah Zack, how did it end?” Jack added.   
“So this possessed guy is attacking the man that’s meant to be helping him, he’s about to kill him when the man pulls out his bible and starts chanting all this stuff. The Demon gets banished from the guy and he falls into the man’s arms. When he wakes up he doesn’t remember a thing... But he was never the same guy again.”   
“That was scary? Pfft,” Alex complained.   
“It’s scary ‘cause it’s true,” Zack argued.   
“Oh come off it,” Rian said.   
“It is, my brother told it to me,”   
“If I believed everything my brother told me I’d still think girls had penises,” Jack said.   
Everyone laughed, Alex included even if it did make him cough again.   
“Is that because you’ve never seen a girl naked?” Rian asked.   
Jack laughed so hard his stomach hard and Alex managed not to cough up any vital organs but was sure his guts were not where they were meant to be. Alex closed his eyes and rested his head on Jack’s shoulder once again, he was grateful for his friends and their ability to make him laugh even when he felt like shit.   
“Love you guys,” he mumbled, sleepily.   
“Love you too, now get some rest ‘Lex,” Jack replied.   
It was only then did Alex finally fall asleep, cuddled up to his boyfriend, his friend’s laughter drowning out the sound of the rain.


	2. Freezing

When Alex woke up it was dark and he was freezing. He was pretty sure it was the coldness that had woken him if not the uncomfortable pressure in his chest. Squinting in the darkness Alex was able to make out the shape of his boyfriend sleeping beside him and reaching out his sleeping bag Alex shook his shoulder.   
“Ugh, Alex? That you?”   
“Cold.”   
“You’re cold?”   
“Yeah...” he replied, body shaking with a shudder.   
Jack didn’t reply but there was the sound of movement before a flash light went on. Alex was curled up in his sleeping bag, full on shivering. Jack bit his lip and put his hand to Alex’s forehead.   
“You’re burning up sweetie,” Jack frowned.   
Alex pouted and coughed into his fist. Deciding there was only really one thing he could do, Jack got out of his own sleeping bag and zipped himself in with Alex. It was a tight squeeze but Jack was just about to just his arms around Alex and let the boy leach away his body heat.   
“Feel better baby,” Jack said, kissing Alex’s feverish skin.   
By the time morning came neither of them had gotten much more sleep, Alex couldn’t stop coughing and Jack had nothing to give him. He just stayed by his side, rubbing his back and giving him water when he could.   
“’Lex, I’m going to talk to the guys and make you some tea. I’ll be right back, okay?”   
Alex nodded and buried himself under the sleeping bag. Getting up Jack stretched his sore muscles and went outside, finding Rian and Zack already up.   
“How is he?” Rian asked.   
“Bad, he can’t stop coughing and he’s got a fever. Woke me up in the middle of the night freezing his ass off, I ended up in the sleeping bag with him just to keep him from shivering,” Jack replied miserably.   
“Should we go back?” Zack asked.   
They weren’t due back for another two days but the thought that had crossed the boys minds.   
Jack shook his head.   
“He’s too sick to hike all the way back. I’m just going to stay with him until he’s well enough to. You two can do whatever, you don’t have to stay with us,” Jack said.   
“Don’t worry about us, we’ll find something to do. Just make sure Alex is alright,” Zack said.   
Jack nodded and took the two freshly made cups of tea back to his boyfriend. Alex was curled up under the sleeping bag, only his messy hair visible. Jack couldn’t help but find it adorable.   
“Hey, I brought you tea,”   
There was a groan before slowly Alex pulled himself up, pale faced, red rimmed eyes, running nose and shaking with chills. Alex just looked so damn miserable.   
“Ugh I feel awful,” Alex moaned.   
“I’m sorry baby.”   
“It’s not your fault, it’s my useless excuse for an immune system,” Alex said, reaching over to take Jack’s hand in his clammy one.   
Jack smiled, even when he was sick a dog Alex was always trying to make Jack smile. It was one of the things Jack loved so much about him. Jack was about to tell him so when Alex was bent double coughing, one hand on his chest somehow trying to relief the pressure. By the time the fitted ended tears where in Alex’s eyes and his breathing was more shaky than he was.   
“Shh, drink, it’ll help.”   
Jack put the still warm tea in Alex’s hands and helped him take a few sips.   
“Ughhh,” Alex groaned, his chest still feeling tight and his head dizzy.   
“I wish I had something to give you,” Jack said, he hated that he had nothing to take Alex’s pain away.   
“I’m okay,” Alex mumbled, lying down so his head was in Jack’s lap.   
“Go to sleep ‘Lex,”   
Jack playing with the strands of Alex’s messy hair as his boyfriend drifted off to sleep to his lap.   
Alex was still asleep when Rian and Zack came to join them, only coughing in his sleep every so often.   
“How is he?” Rian asked, sitting crossed legged in front of Jack and the sick boy.   
“I think he’s got the flu, he’s feverish and miserable,” Jack replied.   
“Poor Alex,”   
“Thanks for staying guys,” Jack said.   
He hadn’t wanted to ask them to stay but the company felt nice. Normally when Alex was sick and sleeping through the day Jack could amuse himself but with no phone, internet or movies he was at a bit of a loss.   
“No problem, we couldn’t just leave you with Alex like that,” Zack replied.   
“Thanks.”   
“So... What can we do?” Rian asked.   
It turned it to be game of Scrabble Rian had brought with him. He’d brought it as a last resort but it ended up being rather fun.   
“Jack, that is not how you sell accidently. There’s no k and only one l,” Rian pointed out.   
“Well now there is, it gives me a triple word score”, Jack argued.   
Rian threw up his hands in defeat, they were on their third game and they’d given up getting Jack to spell actual words. The kid’s English skills were somewhat lacking.   
“Questionable, ha! That’s 53 points to me,” Zack cheered. “I think that means I’m winning.”  
“Fuck you,” Rian muttered.   
Zack just smirked and finished placing the tiles on the board.   
“Shit, what word can I make with those?” Jack asked to himself, he’d run out of interesting letters and ideas.   
“Believe,” came a tired voice from his lap.   
Alex had been asleep all through the Scrabble games, finally waking enough to assist Jack and despite still burning with fever and being fall asleep he was still better at English than Jack.   
“Thanks ‘Lex.”   
“Hey, that’s cheating,” Rian argued as Jack put the letters on the board.   
“Jack needs all the help he can get,” Zack said.   
“Exact... Hey!”   
Alex laughed and coughed, sitting himself up right to try and get his breathing back to normal.   
“How are you feeling?” Jack asked, wrapping his arm around Alex’s waist and letting the boy rest his head on his shoulder.   
“Sick,” Alex replied, sniffing and rubbing his tired eyes.   
“Do you want to go back to sleep?” Jack asked.   
“Can’t, head hurts,” Alex replied.   
“Want to play? You can be on my team,” Jack said, softly running his arm over Alex’s back.   
“Okay,” he mumbled.   
It turned into a team vs Scrabble game that even with Alex’s help Jack lost spectacularly at. By the end Alex was barely conscious drifting in out of sleep with his head resting on Jack’s shoulder. It was at that stage where his fever had taken all his energy, he felt groggy and awful. When he woke up probably again Zack and Rian were gone and the sun had almost set.   
“Urgh, what time is it?” he grumbled.   
“After seven,” Jack replied, checking his watch.   
“How long was I asleep?” he asked.   
“About 4 hours on and off, you kept coughing yourself awake and falling back to sleep again.”   
Alex groaned and sat up, everything was still aching but at least his head didn’t feel like it was going explode.   
“Are you hungry? The guys are just cooking some food.”   
Alex shook his head.   
“I’m really not.”   
“You should eat and drink something or you’ll feel worse,” Jack said.   
“Okay but can you bring some? I really don’t want to move,” Alex said, just sitting up had made his muscles ache.   
“Sure, baby.”   
Jack kissed his hot forehead before climbing out of the tent. Alex tried to take a deep breath but it only set off a painful coughing fit that left him feeling dizzy. How had he managed to get the flu in the middle of nowhere? Normal people didn’t get so sick from going out in the rain, it wasn’t fucking fair.   
When Jack returned carrying food and a bottle of water he found Alex sat with his knees to his chest and tears running down his cheeks.   
“What’s wrong?” he asked, abandoning the food and moving to Alex’s side.   
Alex didn’t answer straight away, burying his face in Jack’s chest as his boyfriend held him.   
“I hate being sick,”   
Everyone hated by sick but it was different for Alex, he hated how sick he got and how often. It wasn’t fucking fair on him and certainly wasn’t fair on Jack. He was always ruined things by getting sick and though Jack said he didn’t mind Alex knew that he did, he knew he was just screwing things up.   
“I’m sorry Jack,” he crocked.   
“What on earth are you sorry for?” Jack asked, arms still tightly wrapped around Alex’s shaking form.   
“For being sick, I always ruin everything,” he sniffed.   
“Oh god Alex, don’t you believe that for a moment. It’s not your fault, you can’t help it and plus you’re adorable when you’re sick,” Jack said, kissing his forehead.   
“Why do you put up with me?” Alex asked.   
“’Cause I love you.”   
“I love you too.”   
It took a while but finally Alex calmed down. It wasn’t unusual for him to have a bit of breakdown when he was sick, matter about being sick far from home with no medicine. Jack always knew how to make him feel better though, whether it was because he was sick or sad Alex could count on Jack to make the pain go away.


	3. The calm after the storm

The set went down but the campfire had started, making outside warmer than the tent and Alex was shivering again.   
“Come on, let’s go sit by the fire,” Jack suggested.   
“Cold.”   
“I know, it’ll warm you up, you can wear my hoodie.”   
Alex smiled and pulled Jack’s oversized hoodie over his messed up hair. Jack knew that he was still burning with a fever but Jack couldn’t watch him shiver any longer. Dragging the boy outside they joined Zack and Rian by the fire.   
“How are you feeling Alex?” Rian asked.   
“Like shit,” Alex mumbled, putting his head on Jack’s shoulder.   
“Can I get you anything?” he asked.   
Alex loved his friends; they always looked out for him even when he was sick, gross and miserable.   
“I’m okay.”   
“Want another game of Scrabble?” Rian offered.   
“No, not more of that damn game. I’ve got a better idea,” Jack said.   
Getting up and making Alex whine in protest as his pillow moved, Jack disappeared back into the tent only to come out carrying his acoustic.   
“How about some songs around the camp fire?”   
Jack sat down beside Alex and began playing, a simple tune that they all recognised.   
“Hey, don’t write yourself off yet  
It’s only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.”   
Alex began to sing softly, his voice croaky and raspy. Zack backed him up why Rian started tapping the pans to make some sort of beat.   
“It just takes some times,   
Like girl, you’re in the middle of the ride  
Everything, everything will be just fine  
Everything, everything will be alright, alright  
Hey, you know they’re all the same  
You know you’re doing better on your own, so don’t buy in  
Live right now, yeah just be yourself  
It doesn’t matter if it’s good enough for someone else.”   
Alex ended up breaking off coughing but listened to the rest of the guys finish the song, Zack taking over the singing with Jack trying to back him up.   
“You’re a terrible singer Jack,” Alex teased.   
“At least I made it through the whole song,” Jack replied, only to receive a weak punch in the arm.   
“Play another one,” Zack said.   
“What song?”   
“Best of You by Foo Fighters,” Rian replied. 

Alex eventually fell asleep with his head in Jack’s lap as they sat around a campfire. Zack taking over and playing odd tunes on the guitar but mostly they were just chatting, talking about the future and what came after senior year.   
“You really love him don’t you?” Rian asked, watching as Jack ran his fingers through Alex’s hair.   
“Course I do,” Jack replied.   
“It’s just, we’ve known you for years and you never gave a rat ass about anyone till Alex came along, now you’re looking after him why he’s sick. The Jack I knew 2 years ago wouldn’t have dreamt of doing such a thing.”   
What Rian said was true, Jack had never been much of caring person to anyone outside his two best friends. And he certainly didn’t do relationships, that was until Alex Gaskarth walked into class one day and his world got tipped outside down.  
“He changed me for the better I guess, I just love him so much. I can’t imagine my life without him.”   
As Jack spoke he realised how true the words were. He really couldn’t imagine his life without the boy sleeping in his lap, as he sat thinking about the future one thing was sure. Alex was right in the middle of it. 

They slept together can that night, Jack squished into Alex’s sleeping bag to keep him warm; oddly though Jack slept better with Alex crushed against him that he ever did alone. When they woke up the sun was shining, typical it was their final day and the sun decided to make it the warmest yet. Alex had slept most of the night and was feeling more alive than the day before, his fever down slightly though his cough was still as bad.   
“Do you feel like getting up ‘Lex?” Jack asked, as he feeling rather hungry and Alex was still kind of lying on him. Alex groaned and coughed, burying his face against Jack’s chest.   
“Hmm I guess,” he mumbled.   
Jack helped drag Alex up and despite the warmth of the weather Alex pulled on Jack’s oversized hoodie. They found both Rian and Zack already up and making breakfast.   
“Feeling better Alex?” Rian asked.   
“Yeah a bit, still kinda shitty though.”   
“Fancy something to eat?” he asked.   
Alex shook his head. He’d eaten a little bit the night before but he didn’t feel up to more food, after all there was no bathroom to throw up in out in the woods.   
Breakfast was pretty quiet, all of them enjoying their last morning before they had to go back to the real world.   
“I don’t want to go” Jack said.   
“None of want to go” Zack agreed.   
“Speak for yourself, I have a girlfriend I’d quite like to go back to” Rian said, only to get a piece of toast thrown at him.   
“Not all of us get to bring our lovers with us”   
“That’s because I would have sleep next to you and I am not listening to that!” Zack said, elbowing Rian in the side.   
“Hey!”   
Jack and Alex laughed as Rian tried to take on Zack but ended up pinned on the floor. But the sadness was still hanging over them, they had to go home, the school year was about to start and then it was the future.   
By the time everything was packed up and the site looked empty again Alex was exhausted again. Despite his decent sleep the night before between his aching body and cough he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. It was only a few mile walk back to the cars...   
“Can I just stay here?” he asked.   
“Course you can’t ‘Lex, I think your mum would be mad if I came home without you.”   
Alex just yawned before coughing again. Jack sighed, there was only thing he could do.   
“Zack, do you think you take these?” he asked, passing over his and Alex’s bags.   
“Sure.”   
Thank god Zack was build like a fucking quarterback. Jack knelt down in front of Alex and pointed at his back.   
“Hop on.”   
“Jack, no, I’m too heavy.”   
“No you’re not, come on.”   
Alex reluctantly jumped on Jack’s back, Jack holding tightly to his legs so he wouldn’t slip off.   
“Are you sure about this?” Alex asked.   
“Its fine, this way you get back and your mum doesn’t kill me.”   
Alex smiled and lent his head on top of Jack’s.   
“I love you.”   
“I love you too, now let’s get your sick ass home.”   
Alex fell asleep on Jack’s back about half way back, Jack didn’t mind though. He was just glad Alex was okay and that he’d soon be back in his bed with a shit load of medicine. Jack got them back to where his car was waiting at the edge of the forest, saying goodbye to Rian and Zack he put the still sleeping Alex in the passenger seat.   
As Jack drove them home he looked over at to see Alex looking back at him, those big brown eyes and the little smile that made dimples appear on his cheeks. Jack just loved him so damn much and he knew whatever the future held that they’d make it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys,   
> Thanks for reading! Reminder I love your prompts so sent them in :) xx


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